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LAS In The News 7.10.20

At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communities together, and in many cases, saves lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week:

Pressing For Accountability In The NYPD

NY Daily News: AG James Recommends Sweeping NYPD Overhauls Following Probe of George Floyd Protests
The Brian Lehrer Show: Who Gets to See NYPD Body Camera Footage?
Wired: A Plan to Make Police Data Open Source Started on Reddit
The City: How to Report Police Misconduct — and What to Expect If You Do
NYDN: Why Blue Lies Matter: It Is Everyone’s Business When Police Fail to Tell the Truth
The Jewish Voice: After NYC’s Anti-Crime Unit Was Disbanded, Shootings Increase by 205 Percent
Daily Gazette: With Shroud Lifted, FOIL Remains Default for Accessing Police Disciplinary Records
The City: ‘ShotSpotter’ Tested as Shootings and Fireworks Soar, While Civil Rights Questions Linger
NY1: After Violent Weekend, de Blasio Blames Multiple Crises While NYPD Points to Criminal Justice Reforms
Gothamist: Data Contradicts NYPD’s Claim That Bail Reform And COVID-Releases Drove Shooting Spike

Defenders Oppose Reopening of Courts, Cite Risk To Clients and Attorneys

Law360: Brooklyn To Resume Some Pre-Pandemic Housing Trials
Queens Daily Eagle: Public Defender Groups Say Court Opening Plan Endangers Clients and Staff
The Real Deal: In-person Eviction Trials Resume in Brooklyn
NYLJ: Public Defenders Call on NY Courts to Reconsider In-Person Appearances During Reopening Process
NY Daily News: Lawyers Fear Sudden Return to NYC Courthouses Next Week Will Spread Coronavirus
Bronx Times: ‘Housing is a right’: Tenants Hold Protest Calling for Eviction Courts To Remain Closed Through End of 2020

More LAS In The News

Capitol Pressroom: Advocates Say NY is Failing to Protect Inmates from COVID-19
Gay City News: Letitia James Urged to Support Release of Incarcerated TGNCNBI Folks
NYLJ: Seeking to Protect Uncharged Suspects’ Rights, Legal Aid Calls for Abolishing City’s DNA Databank
QNS: Essential Workers Call For Workplace Protections Against COVID-19 at Jackson Heights Rally
The Chronicle of Social Change: Calls Grow to Eliminate ‘Face Down’ Restraints for Foster Youth After Michigan 16-Year-Old’s Death
JJIE: NY Advocates Urge End to Restraints After Teen’s Death in Michigan
THE APPEAL: COVID-19 Hit New York City Homeless Shelters Hard But Some Are Forced To Stay There 
Economist: The Challenges of Reducing America’s Jail Population